Predicting The Biggest Video Game Hits Of 2015: 'Bloodborne'

Bloodborne is an upcoming game for PlayStation 4 from the creators of Demon's Souls. Developer From Software is once again teaming up with Japan Studio on a dark and brutal action-roleplaying game. This time, however, the Medieval setting is gone. Bloodborne takes place in a Gothic, neo-Victorian world of fell beasts and shambling, pitchfork-and-torch-wielding villagers.

The setting and the gameplay may both have changed---gone are the shields and heavy armor that helped define Demon's and Dark Souls---but the trademark difficulty and overwhelming sense of dread and atmosphere are all still present.

I've played just one demo of Bloodborne, which I wrote about in some detail here. What I experienced in that demo was at once vastly different, yet oddly familiar, to the game's predecessors. We are not in entirely new territory here, but enough has changed that players will need to adjust both their play-style and their mindset in order to succeed.

Combat is faster. Defense is more about dodging. A unique risk-vs-reward system allows you to regain health if you take damage and strike back quickly enough. The demo only shows off a small slice of the world and its occupants, but it's enough to give you a feel for what's in store.

Note: This is part of an ongoing series of predictions on the best and worst upcoming games in 2015.

Challenged

By and large the hype for this game is universal among Souls fans both in and out of video game writing. (For other previews which I just Googled randomly, try this, this and this. The third link brings us to Polygon's Phil Kollar who likens the game to the Tower of Latria from Demon's Souls.) I try not to be too hyped about a game lest not only I find myself let down, but steer my readers in that direction as well. But it's hard not to be excited for another Souls(esque) game, especially one directed by Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki, who was missing from the somewhat disappointing Dark Souls II.

That being said, others disagree.

The Eccentric Gamer writes: "Unfortunately, after playing Bloodborne in an exhibition demo, I left being completely and utterly disappointed. The game is very easy compared to previous Souls games. From Software is attempting to reach a wider audience with the decreased difficulty which I believe is the worst possible move they could make."

This is a puzzling thing to read.

I've played all the Souls games and am moderately skilled at each of them. I'm not particularly talented at PvP since I'm more of a single-player gamer in general, but I've beat each of the Souls games more than once, have spent a lot of time with each of them (and would spend lots more if I didn't have to also spend time with other games for my job) and feel pretty confident in my understanding of the franchise.

When I load up a run at any of the three, I can usually make a pretty decent bit of progress. I managed the first four bosses in Demon's Souls not long ago without dying once, which made me inordinately proud of myself (and then died doing something stupid.) I'm not by any means the best or even close to the best player out there, but I'm good enough to enjoy myself.

So when I played Bloodborne, once I had the new mechanics down and understood the changes between the two games, it wasn't as challenging as when I first fired up Dark Souls---the first in the franchise I played. Back then, I died constantly. It was way harder than it is now, as a veteran who understands how all of this works.

I imagine if I'd fired up Bloodborne having never played a Souls game, it would have torn me to shreds. My experience is what's changed most, not the challenge of From Software's upcoming RPG. And even with my experience I found the demo satisfyingly difficult. The boss in particular was extremely challenging. One very large enemy was also pretty hard. And the werewolves you encounter would have been a nightmare without the help of an NPC hunter.

The point I'm dragging myself toward is that I don't think Bloodborne has ratcheted down the difficulty at all. It's very different now---much more aggressive and quicker, less focused on defensive play---and frankly I'm not sure if I enjoy the combat as much as I do Dark Souls and Demon's Souls, but it's still hard. Will it be as good? We shall see...

Atmosphere

Shifting gears, I don't think challenge is exactly the reason the Souls games are so beloved to begin with.

That's likely what the team making Dark Souls II thought, which is why that game was so challenging but, in many other ways, a bit...soulless.

Souls fans do love the difficulty, but there are much harder games out there. What I love---and what many others love, also---is the incredible atmosphere and level design, the sense of exploration and the obscure and mysterious lore, all the little pieces that combine to make Souls games so unique and immersive. Enigmatic NPCs, shortcuts, and so on and so forth.

On that note, the demo offers hope but not certainty. The city of Yharnam is wonderfully detailed, a vast Gothic set-piece like nothing in the Souls games, but filled with potential for incredible level design, enemies, and exploration. There are also hints that this world is tied directly to Boletaria of Demon's Souls, or at least to the same mythology.

In any case, with Miyazaki at the helm, impressive demos, and all the right pieces falling into place, I think Bloodborne is poised to be a major hit, and the first PS4 exclusive that may prompt me to give the console a "Must Buy" rating. As I said, we have limited information at this point. The game could fall apart after the first act (Dark Souls pretty much does after Act Two) and I'm still uncertain if the combat is as enjoyable as the Souls games. But I'm quite hopeful in my predictions.